Material handling and loading apparatus



Julv 6, 1943.

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J. KUCHAR I 0 MATERIAL HANDLING AND LOADING APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1941 16 Sheets-Sheet 7 Julv fi, 1943. JAKUCHAR 2,323,404

MATER IAL HANDLING AND LOADING APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1941 i6 Sheets-Sheet 8' Z 11 4 9 4 j 1.51 j 7 July 6, 1943. J. KUCHAR MATERIAL HANDLING AND LOADING APPARATUS l6 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed July 2, 1941 July 6, 1943. J. KUCHAR 2,323,404

MATERIAL HANDLING AND LOADING APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1941 16 Sheets-Sheet l0 ww wmTw P July 6, 1943. J. KUCHAR MATERIAL HANDLING AND LOADING APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1941 16 Sheets-Sheet 11 e A z Filed July 2, 1941 16 Sheets-Sheet l2 July 6, 1943. .1. KUCHAR MATERIAL HANDLING AND LOADING APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1941 16 Sheets-Sheet 13 July 6, 1943. J. KUCHAR A 2,323,404

MATERIAL HANDLING AND LOADING APPARATUS d P f I @W% ,mdd

July 6, 1943. J, KUCHAR 2,323,404

MATERIAL HANDLING AND LOADING APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1941 16 Sheets-Sheet l5 July 6, 1943. J. KUCHAR 2,323,404

MATERIAL HANDLING AND LOADING APPARATUS Filed July 2, 1941 16 Sheets-Sheet 1e 55/ I I i I l I l \as; 3 7 368 o o L 2 Z l O U I O O Ur /fvg' t o "W o o O 0 qt -37? 358 373 57 m m g 574 .2 E J 365 364 556 O 362 i rm a. 359 0 367 368 L (I l I\ 550 553 3 368 Patented July 6, 1943 MATERIAL HANDLING AND LOADING APPARATUS Joseph Kuchar, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Athey Truss Wheel Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application July 2, 1941, Serial No. 400,768

24 Claims.

My invention relates to material handling and loading apparatus, and especially to apparatus to be mounted on a tractor-preferably a Caterpillar .type of tractor-to be operated by the tractor engine with a scoop or the like on a boom pivoted to swimupwardly over the tractor for overhead discharge into a truck, for example.

Among the objects and features of my invention are these:

An improved and simplified forward power take-off from the front of the engine which is better adapted for superficial application as. an accessory to a standard tractor, and whereby the drive of the hoisting apparatus is independent of the clutch and transmission of the tractor drive so that the hoisting of the scoop is not interrupted in shifting the driving gears of the tractor;

A simplified adjustment for the height and inclination of the entering edge of the scoop, even though the scoop be pivotally mounted on the boom for forward dumping;

An automatic throw-out for the hoisting mechanism whereby the boom may be stopped at desired predetermined positions, such for example as the rearward dumping position, the carrying position, the forward dumping position, and the scooping or crowding position;

An automatic throw-out for the boom when it reaches a predetermined position, so arranged as to permit the boom, after being automatically stopped at that position, to continue its movement past that position and in the same direction;

Provision, automatically effective whenever the descent of the boom is arrested as by the scoop contacting the top edge of the materialcontaining body of the truck, for both taking up the slack in the hoisting cable and disengaging the winch;

A design of apparatus which is applicable as an accessory to a standard tractor without change in the tractor itself, and in which the scoop or scoop and boom may be removed when the tractor is to be used for general purposes, with the remainder of the apparatus still left on the tractor being so arranged as not to.interfere with the normal operation of the tractor for general purposes;

A take-up for the forward dumping release cable which acts continuously to take up the slack in the release cable so that it is ready for instant operation regardless of the position of the boom;

A convenient storage for a reserve length of cable as an integral continuation of the active reach of cable at the end thereof least subject to breakage, whereby upon a break in the cable more of the cable may be transferred from the reserve storage without the necessity of complete rethreading of the cable or the necessity of discarding a major reach of the working length of the cable;

An improved latch, release, and shock absorber for the scoop pivotally mounted on the boom, whereby to facilitate forward dumping;

An arrangement of hoisting cables and sheaves therefor designed t insure clearance of the upper forward end of the tractor, even though the cables are withdrawn from and re-laid upon some of the sheaves during the rise and fall of the boom;

An improved winch drum of a grooved generally conical type in which the several radii of the grooves at various stages are better designed to meet the pull requirements on the hoisting cable;

An improved automatic braking of the winch; and

A boom on which a bulldozer, scraper, snow shovel, log lifter or the like, may readily be interchangeably substituted for the scoop or bucket, this being especially facilitated and simplified by incorporating the minimum operating parts on the scoop as distinguished from the boom.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a tractor of the track-laying type, having a loading mechanism embodying the present invention assembled therewith, a boom being illustrated in solid lines in a downward or digging position, and in dotted lines in an intermediate or carrying position; r

Fig- 2 is a plan view of the loading mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 as it would appear disassembled from the tractor;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the loading mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a portion of a chute being broken away to disclose a cable sheave arrangement, and cable storing drums, the tractor being indicated in dotted lines;

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the loading mechanism, with a bucket illustrated in solid lines in forward dumping position, and in dotted lines in intermediate or transport position, the tractor being indicated in dotted outline.

being illustrated in solid lines in rearward dumping position, and in dotted lines in a secondary intermediate position above the intermediate position illustrated in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 8-4 of Fig. 7, a portion of the lefthand side of a gear casing being broken away to show a clutch housing and mounting bracket;

Fig. '7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the plane of the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line H of Fig. 6, showing the power take-oi! and the gear train illustrated in Figs. 8 and 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the clutch housing and mounting bracket illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, a portion of the gear casing being included;

Fig. 10 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the clutch and transmission unit on a plane bisecting the clutch drive shaft;

Fig. 11 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a worm drive unit, taken as on the plane of the line Il-ll of Fig. 13;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view of the transmission gearing, taken as on the plane of the line l2-l2 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view, taken on the plane of the line ll-IS of Fig. 1, showing the worm drive unit and driven cable winch assemblies;

Fig. 14 is a vertical sectional view taken on the offset planes of the broken line H-ll in Fig. 13, a portion of a cable winch drum being broken away to show a cable end clamp embodied in the winch drum;

Fig. 15 is a plan view of a U-shaped boom, a pair of tubular side arms and tractor mounting plates being illustrated in section to disclose the structure more clearly;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary sectional view through a boom hoisting sheave taken as on the plane of the line Ii-II of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on the plane of the line i |-l| of Fig. 2, showing the bucket forward-dumping mechanism in latched carrying position;

Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 17 showing the mechanism unlatched to release the bucket for forward dumping;

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as on the plane of the line l9-I8 of Fig. 18, showing a toggle-retaining pawl and pawl-release cam;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken as on the plane of the line 20-20 of Fig. 1, showing a cable take-up sheave arrangement and cable storage drums;

Fig. 21 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as on the plane of the line 2l-2l of Fig. 3, showing the cable take-up sheave arrangement in fully operated position;

Fig. 22 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 21, showing the cable take-up mechanism in unoperated or load-carrying position;

Fig. 23 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the front frame structure, including an axle and a front support drum which is provided to prevent forward tilting of the machine during a digging or load-carrying operation, a portion of the frame and drum assembly being shown in section;

Fig. 24 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken as on the plane of the line 14- Fig. 1, showing a spring-held shaft with cable drum and ratchet and pawl trip mechanism:

Fig. 25 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 2l2l of Fig. 24:

Fig. 26 is a sectional view taken on the plane of the line 20-2. of Fig. 24, showing a ratchet and pawl in normal disengaged position;

Fig. 27 is a view similar to Fig. 26, showing the ratchet and pawl in engaged operated posi- Fig. 28 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the plane of the line "-28 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 29 is a fragmentary perspective view of an arcuate frame member with a pair of inter: mediate boom stops and an upper limit boom stop mounted thereon and connected to each other by suitable link and lever arrangements;

Fig. 30 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional glew 2ttken on the plane of the line 30-" of Fig. 31 is an enlarged detail elevational view shortalvsing a cable anchor plate and associated D Fig. 32 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view showing a boom end with a modified form of bucket-mounting support;

Fig. 33 on page 2 of the drawings is a view similar to Fig. 32, showing a bulldozer mounted to replace the bucket of Fig. 32 by interchangeable mounting means;

Fig. 34 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the right-hand side of Fig. 33;

Fig. 35 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a modified form of control apparatus, including a brake applied to the winch drum, and associated clutch and brake control mechanism;

Fig. 38 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the brake mechanism illustrated in Fig. 35;

Fig. 37 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken in the plane of the line 31-31 of Fig. 36; and

Fig. 38 is a fragmentary view of the brake-op- I erating mechanism illustrated in the right-hand portion of Fig. 36, showing the brake control mechanism operated to release the brake.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and considering the invention as a whole, the complete illustrative embodiment of the invention is best shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive.

The mechanism is intended for mounting on a tractor, and is here illustrated as being mounted on a tractor of the track-laying type referred to generally by the character A. The tractor is illustrated more or less schematically, and the customary tractor controls have been omitted from the illustrations for the purpose of clarity.

The loading mechanism constituting the present invention comprises the following main structural groups to be later described in detail.

A structural framework illustrated generally by the character B is adapted to be mounted on the tractor A and is provided with somewhat arcuately curved guide tracks C. which serve as guide-ways for a U-shaped boom D, the tracks C also comprising important structural members of the framework B. The boom D is pivotally supported on trunnions which are mounted on the track roller frame of the track-laying mechanism of the tractor.

A latch-release mechanism E is provided to permit of a forward dumping of the contents of a bucket F where such forward dumping is required. The contents of the bucket can also be dumped rearwardly by swinging the boom and bucket to the fully raised position indicated solid lines in Fig. 5, whereby the contents of the bucket may be dumped into a rearwardlydisposed chute G carried'by the upper rear end of" the framework B.

The boom-operating mechanism is actuated through suitable clutch and transmission mechanism contained in a housing H, and is driven through a power take-on I mounted on the front of the tractor.

Power take-017 .iecting clutch housing 4| which has a pair of laterally projecting flanges 42 and 43, by means of which the gear case 48 is bolted to a lower cast iron radiator compartment 44. The casting 44 is the regular tractor radiator casting which,'in the particular structure illustrated, is suillciently heavy and strong to support the gear case, although, if desired, suitable conventional type mounting and bracing members, not illustrated, may be used to support the gear case 48.

An opening 45 is provided in the rear wall of the clutch housing 4| to align with an opening 48, customarily provided in radiators of this type to receive a conventional starting crank, the opening '48 being in line with the crank shaft 52 of the drive motor of the tractor A.

A ball bearing 41 is mounted in a recess in the opening 45 to support a splined shaft 48 which is mounted to rotate freely within the radiator opening 46. The rear end of the splined shaft 48 has splined connection with a gear 49, which is in mesh with the internal teeth 58 of a special V belt pulley 5|. The pulley H is keyed to the tractor engine crank shaft 52, and is secured in position thereon by means of a nut 53.

A splined clutch member 54 is slidably mounted on the forward splined end of the shaft 48, and is provided with dogs or teeth 55, which are adapted to have clutch engagement with corresponding dogs 56 on a gear shaft 51.

The slidable clutch member 54 is provided with a clutch collar 58 which is mounted to permit rotation of the clutch member 54, the collar 58 being retained against longitudinal displacement by means of a spring snap-ring 59. The clutch collar 58 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposite studs 88 which are mounted in a conventional shifting fork 9|.

The fork 8| is aflixed to a shaft 82, and a clutch throw-cut lever 63 is also secured to the shaft 82, where the shaft projects from a side of the clutch housing 4|, to permit manipulation of v the clutch.

An oil seal gasket 54 is mounted to seal the opening 45, thereby to prevent the escape of grease or oil from the clutch housing, and likewise to seal this point against the entrance of dust and dirt. Similar seals are preferably used throughout the entire construction where necessary or desirable, although some of such seals have been omitted from the present illustrations for the purpose of clarity. A removable closure plate 85 is secured in position over an opening in the top of the clutch housing 4|.

The driven gear shaft 51 is mounted in a pair of ball bearings 68 and 61 mounted in aligned openings in the gear case 48. The bearing 51 is held in position by means of a closurev plate 68 which is bolted to the front of the gear housing 48. Similar closure plates, such as the plates 89 and 18, are provided over each of a series of openings provided for. mounting the bearings 01' each gear in the train.

A gear 1| is keyed to the shaft 51 and is in meshed engagement'with an idler gear 12, and thence through intermeshing idler gears 13 and 14, with a terminal gear 15. Each of the intermediate or idler gears 12, 13 and 14 are mounted similarly to the gear 14 illustrated in Fig. 8.

The gear 14 is keyed to a short shaft 16 journaled in a pair of ball bearings 11 and 18, the rear bearing 11 being mounted in a machined boss 19, and the front bearing 18 being mounted similarly to the bearing 61in Fig. 7.

" (see Fig. 10), which is enclosed in a tubular casing 84, the torque tube 83 having the universal joint 82 secured to its upper, or rear, end.

The tubular casing 84 is clamped at its upper, or rear, end, as illustrated in Fig. 10, in a boot connection 85, the boot 85 being in turn bolted to the transmission housing H.

. Transmission The transmission mechanism, such as a mechanical or hydraulic drive is illustrated in one form in Figs. 10 and 12. A transmission drive shaft 86 has driven connection with the universal Joint 82, and is journaled in ball bearings 81 and 88. A clutch sleeve 89 (see Fig. 18) is keyed to the shaft 88, and is provided with two sets of driving clutch discs 98 and 9|, which have conventional driven engagement with the sleeve 89, and are retained loosely in position on pins 92.

A pair of clutch gears 93 and 94 are mounted on ball bearings 95, 96, 91 and 98, each of the clutch gears 93 and 94 having a set of clutch plates 99 and I89, respectively, in notched engagement therewith, the clutch plates 99 and I88 being relatively interposed between the driving clutch discs 98 and 9|, respectively. Normally, with the clutch in neutral position, the driving clutch discs 98 and 9| are free to rotate independently of the driven clutch discs 99 and I88. A clutch operating mechanism for selectively engaging the gears 93 and 94 comprises a collar I8I, which is slidably mounted on the sleeve 89, and is keyed thereto as by means of a stud I82 secured to the collar -I8I and mounted to ride in a slot I83 in the sleeve 89.

The collar I8I is rounded on its inner edges to permit it to ride up on linked rollers I84 and I85, which are mounted in a slotted opening I88 in the clutch sleeve 89, normally to roll upwardly on an inclined face of one or the other of a pair of clutch operating rings I81 and I88, as in the position occupied by the right-hand linked roller I84 in Fig. 10.

With the roller in this position, the driven clutch plates 99 are free to rotate with respect to the driving clutch plates 98, and permit'the shaft. 86 to rotate independently of the clutch gear 93. When, however, the clutch operating collar IN is moved to overlie the link roller as in the case of the link roller 85 in Fig. 10, the roller is forced inwardly across the cam face of the clutch operating ring I88 to force the driving clutch discs into clutch engagement with the driven discs I00 thereby to drive the clutch gear 84.

The clutch collar IN is operated by means of a clutch collar ring I09, which is mounted in a groove in the clutch collar IOI to permit free relative rotation of the clutch collar II with respect to the clutch collar ring I08.

The ring I09 is provided with a pair of studs IIO, which are engaged by a shifting fork III, which is secured-to a clutch shaft II2.

The clutch shaft II2 projects through the wall of the transmission housing H, and has affixed to the exterior end thereof, a T lever II3, as illustrated in F18. 1.

The arrangement of the transmission gears is best illustrated in Figs. 10 and 12. When the clutch mechanism is in the operated condition illustrated in Fig. 10, the transmission shaft 86 is brought into driving engagement with the gear 94. The gear 94 is in constant meshed engagement with an intermediate idler gear II4, which in turn is in meshed engagement with a driven gear II mounted on a worm gear drive shaft II8.

This gear train, comprising the gears 94, H4 and H5, drives the. boom operating mechanism for raising the boom, and hence has a lower gear ratio than the gear train employed for lowering the boom, where less power is required. By moving the T lever II3 counterclockwise, the clutch collar IIII is moved from its extreme left-hand position illustrated in Fig. 10, toward the right thereby to override the link roller I04. This action forces the link roller I04 inwardly to move the clutch operating member I01 to the right from the position illustrated in Fig. 10, thereby releasing the left-hand clutch plates and forcing the right-hand clutch plates 80 and 98 into clutch engagement. This causes the gear 83 to rotate with the shaft 86, and thereby drives a reversing pinion III, which is in mesh with the clutch gear 83.

The reversing pinion I I1 is keyed to a countershaft II8, which has a'pinion II9 similar to the pinion III keyed to the opposite end thereof. The pinion IIS is.in mesh with the gear II4, which in turn is in mesh with the gear II5.

In Fig. 12, the solid-line arrows indicate the directions of rotation of the various gears and pinions during a boom lifting operation, while the dotted-line arrows in the same figure indicate the directions of rotation of the gears during a 'boom lowering operation.

Worm gear mechanism The worm drive shaft 6 has splined connection with a collar I20 (see Fig. 11), which collar in turn has splined connection with a worm gear I2I. The right-hand end of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 11 is a continuation of the left-hand end of the mechanism of Fig. 10. It will be noted in Fig. 11 that the worm gear I2I has its right-hand end joumaled in a conventional type of ball bearing I22, while the left-hand end of the worm gear is joumaled in a triple thrust-ball-bearing arrangement. Two of the thrust bearings, namely, the bearings I23 and I24, are mounted to resist a thrust toward the left from the position illustrated in Fig. 11, while the third bearing I25 is positioned to resist such a thrust toward the right. The inner races of these hearings are held on the worm gear shaft by means of a nut I26, which is threaded onto the shaft and is locked thereon as by means of a transverse key 121. The key m is secured in a slot, extending across the end of the worm shaft and the nut I28, by means of a cap screw I28. The cap screw I28 is secured against rotation by means of a suitable lock wire I20.

The worm gear mechanism is mounted in a cast housing I30, and is in driving meshed engagement with a spiral gear I3I, which is illustrated as being made in the form of a ring, bolted to a hub or spider I32 by means of bolts I33, as illustrated in Figs. 11 and 13.

The worm gear I3I is intended to turn counterclockwise during a load-lifting operation, and for this reason the two thrust-bearings I23 and I24 are provided asillustrated to resist this major thrust. The thrust will be in the same direction during a lowering of the boom, since the weight of the boom tends to return it to a lowered position by gravity, and the worm gear and pinion merely slack oh the cable to control the lowering of the boom.

The hub I32 of the spiral gear is keyed to a winch-drum drive-shaft I34, the shaft I34 being maintained in position in the housing by two spacing collars I35 and I36. The shaft I34 is journaled in a pair of ball bearings I31 and I38, which are supported in a conventional manner in the housing I30.

A dowel-type connecting collar I30 is keyed to the shaft I34 which shaft, it will be noted in Fig. 13, terminates flush with the right-hand face of the connecting collar I39. The collar I30 is provided with three dowels I40, which are inserted in three equally spaced openings MI in the hub of a winch drum I42, the winch drum being keyed to a winch shaft I43.

Winch drum assembly The winch drum I42 comprises a substantially cylindrical portion I44, a truncated conical portion I45, and an enlarged cylindrical portion I48. A single continuous helical groove I41 is formed throughout the entire peripheral area of the three portions of the winch drum so as to guide a hoisting cable I48 along the successive portions of the winch drum upon rotationof the drum.

The end of the cable I48 is gripped by means of a cam block I49 which is drawn by means of The cables I48 and I54 are used to operate the boom D, illustrated in detail in Figs. 15 and 16.

A pair of boom trunnion support plates I 55 and I56 are bolted one to each of the outer faces of the tractor track roller frames I 51 (see Fig. l).

Trunnion pins I58 and I58 are mounted one in each of the trunnion support plates I55 and I56, respectively, being retained therein as by welding at the points I60 and I6I. Since the two sides of the boom are similar to each other, the same reference characters will be used to indicate similar parts of both sides of the boom. A fitting such as the fitting I62 is journaled one on each of the trunnion pins, the fitting being retained on the trunnion pin as by means of a 

